


Scars

by TorrieGrayson



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 19:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14315781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TorrieGrayson/pseuds/TorrieGrayson
Summary: Based on the Tumblr request: "could you do a Frank x Reader, about a reader that's struggling with self harm recovery? no magical cure through love, just that they help each other out with their issues on their ways to recovery? (inspired by the group therapy at the end of the series)"





	Scars

You had been dating Frank for quite a few weeks before he saw the scars that marked your arms. You were careful to wear long sleeves or to find creative ways to keep him from noticing for as long as you could. Finally, you realized that it wasn’t worth it to go through the effort of hiding it from him anymore. You just couldn’t help the thought that he would judge you for it. That he would reject you or be ashamed of you.

Sometimes you would feel selfish, thinking that the pain you had caused yourself was trivial compared to how Frank would suffer from nightmares nearly every time he went to sleep. Sometimes it was so clear that he was suffering, yet he never complained about it. You couldn’t help feeling like your issues were less important than his an. Either way, you had it in your mind that you would stop hiding it from him, and let the chips fall as they may.

You showed up at his apartment early one morning with coffee and breakfast. The two of you ate in comfortable silence. Carefully, you slid your jacket off. You’d decided not to make a big deal about it. If he noticed, then you would tell him about it, but if he didn’t, then you wouldn’t say anything either.

He was oblivious for a little while, until later when you were straddling him on the couch. He was sliding his hands down your arms and he could feel the smoothed over scars, slightly raised against the rest of your skin.

You could feel him frown against you as his fingers trailed down further. Finally, he pulled away. Your heart was pounding in your chest as your eyes met for a long moment. You regretted this decision. You should have worn long sleeves, kept your jacket on. You should have just stayed at home today.

“Baby?”

You had been so lost in your own thoughts that you didn’t hear Frank calling your name for a moment.

“What?”

He was looking up into your eyes, his lusty expression from earlier now one of care and concern as you rested above him. You hadn’t even realized when you’d crossed your arms over your body, or when you’d started crying. He was rubbing soothing circles with his thumb over your shoulders and down to one elbow as he wiped away your tears with the other.

“Do you want to talk about these?” he asked, trailing his hands down to the scars on your forearms. “It’s alright if you don’t.”

You unfolded your arms and leaned forward to rest your head on his shoulder as you sobbed harder. Frank wrapped his arms around you, whispering sweet words into your ear until you calmed down.

Eventually, you spoke up. “I’m sorry,” you began.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything.” He’d started before you could get the words completely out.

“I thought I was ready,” you whispered to him, blinking away a few lingering tears, your head still resting on his shoulder.

He gave you a reassuring squeeze. “s’okay, Y/N. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

You lifted your head up. You played this scenario in your head quite a few times, but you never imagined he’d react with such kindness and consideration.

You bit your lip. “It’s been a long time since I did this to myself,” you started. “It’s just, I still struggle with the urges. Whenever enough things don’t go to plan, whenever I feel incredibly lonely, whenever I come across something that triggers how I felt the first time I did this—it’s so hard to keep myself from going back sometimes, Frank.”

He shifted, prompting you to sit up in his lap. Gently, he placed a hand on the back of your neck to pull your face to his. His lips met yours in a tender kiss that spoke volumes. You felt safe with him right now as he kissed all your worries and your insecurities away. It said that no matter what you were going through he would be there for you, to share your burden like you had done with him.

As the months went by, you and Frank became more open with each other about your respective troubles. You were there with him every night to calm him after a dark moment from his past would creep in while he slept, and in turn, he was there to keep you grounded when you felt the urge to hurt yourself or to wrap you up when those urges would get the best of you. It was a slow process, but you were determined to keep each other afloat.


End file.
